diff --git a/pdflib_demo b/pdflib_demo
index f3bf09b..70ffddf 100755
--- a/pdflib_demo
+++ b/pdflib_demo
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ try {
    // set up some PDFlib options
    $pdf->set_option("errorpolicy=return");
    $pdf->set_option("stringformat=utf8");
+   // all paths in 'searchpath' need to be inside curly braces
+   // multiple curly-braced paths in $searchpath need to be separated with
+   // space characters
+   $searchpath = '{/usr/share/fonts/dejavu/}';
+   $pdf->set_option("searchpath={" . $searchpath . "}");
 
    if ($pdf->begin_document($outfile, "") == 0)
       throw new Exception("Error: " . $pdf->get_errmsg());